Chapter 2

The city was buried in harsh apocalyptic flames. The smell of smoke burned Laura’s throat, causing her to cough and struggle to breathe. Monsters flooded the area, killing any unprepared knights that stood in their way. The horrific screaming of the innocent tested her vigilance and composure. The training Laura had undergone as a little girl was supposed to prepare her for moments like this, but the battlefield was considerably harsher and more chaotic than any amount of training. If she hadn't undergone the proper training, she would have instantly given in to fear and met her doom.

Through the harsh and unforgiving chaos, she spotted a horrified family trapped under fallen debris, surrounded by a small pack of wolves and a minotaur looming behind them, almost as if it were waiting for something. The growling was feral and ferocious, and the wolves’ glowing red eyes struck fear and despair, scaring the little girl and causing the father to tear up and lose hope.

Fighting against the wolves would be no problem, but the minotaur was another story. She needed to think of a plan quickly; she couldn’t let what had happened to her ten years ago happen again. As she finished that thought, the pack’s leader hastily moved toward the family, attacking the little girl. The screams of terror from both parents made her legs move on instinct.

She shouted a spell that increased her speed.

“Tempest!”

Laura swung her sword, jumping in front of the trapped child and cutting through the wolf’s leg and shoulder, killing it.

Through the pain, the father struggled to speak. Seeing their helpless state almost brought her to tears and reminded her of what had happened ten years ago. The father was trapped under multiple huge blocks of stone covering his lower half; a slide was thrown on its side, trapping the little girl’s right leg; and the mother was covered in pieces of the playground and stones from other buildings, leaving only her head, right arm, and shoulder exposed.

The father’s bleeding head blocked one of his eyes from seeing her. No words could convey the despair and horror in the man’s voice as he reached out his hand as far as he could, as if pleading for any small amount of hope she could give him.

“Please save my family, don’t let my wife and daughter die!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you and your family safe.”

The harsh growling of the two other wolves quickly grabbed her attention. With a sense of urgency, she readied her blade and jumped to the side, high into the air, avoiding the wolves' razor-edged teeth.

Studying their movements, she noticed one of the wolves on the right started acting strangely, running in place. Quickly, the wolf moved before Laura hit the ground, completely defenseless in the air. She needed to time this right, or she’d end up getting bitten.

Her foot lightly touched the ground. Staring at the wolf in the air, she saw its sharp, feral fangs directed at her shoulder. Using all the strength she could muster, she pressed all her weight onto her right foot and jumped to the side. Without hesitating, as soon as the wolf hit the ground, she slashed its neck. She couldn't let her guard down with her back turned. She was lucky the second wolf’s ferocious growling was coming from behind. With her speed still increased from the spell, she turned around and perfectly lowered her body, slashing its stomach.

With the wolves defeated, all that was left for her concern was the minotaur. The minotaur was going to be a problem if it had the intelligence to use magic. A minotaur could already give a small team a hard time with its rough skin and sharp bladed weapon. Monsters with enough intelligence to use magic thought abnormally and could be very difficult to kill, often resulting in the death of a knight if they were not careful.

The huge monster slowly walked in her direction, holding its axe in its right hand with the hilt upward. Seeing the minotaur, Laura could tell it was enraged; it started drooling and gritting its teeth. The scraping of its stone axe and the loud rumbling from its steps, along with its sharp glowing red eyes, struck fear into the family behind her. Their screams and pleading made her focus sharper than ever before. She took a fighting stance with her sword in front of her body.

“Don’t worry, I will protect you. None of you will be harmed as long as I am standing.”

The feral monster viciously sprinted toward her, crushing the ground with its weight. With all the speed and power she had, the minotaur and Laura clashed weapons, causing sparks to fly. The minotaur’s strength clearly overpowered her, and she was flung back. Using the momentum to catch herself, she brought her hand to the ground and executed a one-handed backflip, landing low in a squatting position.

Urgently, she stood upright and sprinted toward the monster, swinging her sword at its arm. With surprising speed, it parried the attack and swung its axe right toward her unprotected neck. She ducked under the swing, barely avoiding the oncoming strike, and moved past the minotaur. As Laura moved, she swung at the side of its leg, causing it to kneel to the ground. This was her chance; using all her focus and strength, she aimed at the monster's leg and back, cutting deep enough to severely injure it but not to sever its limbs.

She ran back to the trapped family in a protective stance, watching the minotaur for any sudden movements. Her eyes wandered around her surroundings, readying herself for another round of combat. They widened in horror as she saw a building in the distance crumble to the ground, and all her focus was lost.

She couldn’t move; she could barely breathe. So soon as a knight, she already needed to make an impossible decision.

“Watch out!”

Distraught, she couldn’t register what was happening. She saw a boy running toward her, pushing himself and her to the ground. She stared at the boy and then at the minotaur, realizing that it had gotten up and started moving again, trying to kill her. Despite being severely injured, the minotaur’s stubbornness clearly showed its strength.

The man who had saved her was wearing a blue robe and had brown hair that almost covered his face. He was panting and sweating from exhaustion but quickly got up. She could tell he had used a lot of mana and had fought his own harsh battles.

“Are you okay?”

He reached out his hand, offering to help her up. She accepted the offer, grabbing his hand and pushing herself off the ground while he pulled her up. Thanks to his help, she regained a bit of her composure. Her focus, however, remained on the collapsed building. She needed to get there as soon as possible.

“I need to leave. Is there any way you can beat the monster by yourself?”

The young man looked nervous but focused on the minotaur. He pulled out what seemed to be a light brown grimoire and got into a fighting stance.

“Go, I can handle this, but make sure to call some strong knights here. I can beat this monster, but if a swarm arrives, it could be trouble.”

“Understood.”

She ran as fast as she could toward the building, letting other knights know about the location of the family and the boy.

Finally, what seemed like an eternity to her, she caught sight of the building from a distance. Her gaze turned to a young boy on top of the ceiling, which looked like it was barely holding itself together. The power she saw from him was unlike anything she had ever witnessed. He was surrounded by a white aura that resembled a dragon.

“What is that!?”

With a sense of urgency and uncertainty about what she had just seen, she ran faster toward the building, only to find a corps of monsters everywhere, her brother unharmed, and a young boy passed out on the ground, bleeding. The crying and wailing from her brother almost broke her. She could hardly hold back her tears.

“Laura!”

She ran up to her brother and hugged him, making sure the tears she had started shedding couldn’t be heard or seen.

“It’s okay, Will. I won’t let you get hurt.”

Regaining her composure, she noticed the young boy who had protected Will was not moving. His blood loss and injuries were severe; he was minutes away from death. With the chaos dying down, doctors urgently started checking for anyone who might be injured.

“Help! I need a doctor—someone is about to die!”

Everyone seemed too busy with the chaos; there were so many injured that the nurses and doctors combined could barely keep up. She didn’t have a choice. Her priority was to keep the healing potions for her brother and herself but if Laura didn’t use it on this young man he would die. She stared at the young wounds, it was very hard to tell but it looks like he is slowly regenerating but it is not quick enough to help him in his current state. Laura takes out the potions and gives it to the boy. The healing potions are good but it may only be enough to slow his death.

The potion is working but I can slowly see the young boy start to lose color, if someone doesn’t come soon he is going to die!

“Someone! Anyone, a citizen is about to die! Help please!”

“I finally found you! I will help him! Go find a doctor”

The voice belonged to the boy who had helped Laura with the minotaur. Slowly, she got up, calling for help for her brother and the young man.

With a stroke of luck, doctors heard her plea, and the young man and her brother were brought onto stretchers and taken to the hospital.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One hour after the attack:

The figure stood atop a towering tree far from the kingdom, cloaked in a brown hooded cloak that covered his entire body, leaving only his hands, feet, and the lower half of his face exposed. From this vantage point, he watched the chaos and destruction unfolding below.

The sky was a sea of stars, and the moon cast a beautiful glow over the night, a sight that could only be enjoyed in peace—something that had been robbed from all the citizens. The forest below was dense with leaves and branches, obscuring the ground.

“This took a lot longer than expected; it doesn’t matter, the result is still the same. Let’s see how far they get this time,” came a mutter.

The figure continued to observe the kingdom, watching many knights move with incredible speed. Their speed was impressive, covering a monumental amount of ground in just a few seconds. Compared to this figure, the kingdom's knights were child’s play. Very few could hold their own against him. As the knights began to get a bit too close for comfort, a shiny blue stone was pulled out, fitting perfectly in his hand.

“Send me back.”

Without a trace, the figure disappeared.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four days after the attack:

A red carpet stretched from the entrance of the room to a busy desk covered with mountains of paper. On either side of the room stood two classic-looking knight armors, perfectly parallel to each other. Behind the desk was a bullet- and magic-proof glass wall that offered a view of the kingdom, bathed in the bright sunlight that filled the room.

Arthur sat at the desk, dressed in a red cloak with white fur trim. The cloak covered his body but reached down to his knees. He wore plain white pants and brown combat boots. His sword gleamed in steel, the hilt glistening in gold and white with a rain guard featuring a gold winged design. He struggled to sit still after the incident that had occurred a few days ago.

How was this possible? Not even the best knights and ninjas in the kingdom could find a trace of information.

“Hey Arthur, are you busy?”

The words behind the door pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Come in, Zak.”

A young man in his mid-twenties walked into the room. He wore long black pants, a black shirt, and a gray hoodie unzipped, with long brown hair cascading to his shoulders. Though his look was casual, his clothing was surprisingly strong in combat.

“We need to call off our ninjas and knights. They haven’t slept or eaten properly in the past four days. Your knights plan to keep searching even if it costs them their lives, but no one has found anything inside or outside the kingdom.”

Arthur sighed in exhaustion and frustration. Their best knights hadn't been able to bring justice to whoever had harmed them.

“You’re right. I’ll report to the leaders of the mission and tell them to return. We aren’t machines; we must keep everyone healthy.”

Whoever had orchestrated this not only had a lot of time to plan but must have been incredibly strong, considering the number of monsters with the intelligence to use magic.

Zak noticed that Arthur needed to clear his mind. It was obvious that, like his knights, he hadn’t slept or eaten in days since the incident.

“By the way, even though the results of the knights’ exam have concluded, I have some interesting information.”

Arthur looked puzzled. The results were final, so he wasn’t sure what information Zak could be referring to.

“What happened with the knight's exam? Is there an issue with the applicants?”

“Quite the opposite. I’ve heard rumors of a certain young peasant boy who not only defeated several monsters but also protected Ms. Creston’s son.”

“How many monsters did he defeat?”

“Six monsters, including the Alpha.”

Arthur’s eyes widened, and he stood up from his chair in disbelief, lost for words. Defeating an Alpha monster was something he had struggled to achieve at that age.

“What was his score on the exam?!”

Zak was taken aback by Arthur's shocked reaction, almost snickering because he knew Arthur usually acted so noble and professional.

“This is what I wanted to talk to you about. It turns out this applicant scored the lowest on the exam but clearly has some skills that were overlooked during the test.”

Arthur stood in silence for a few seconds, unsure what to do. It was true that knights could enter the academy through other means, but this was a rare case; these were rumors, not facts.

“It’s this applicant's lucky day. As your king, I see that this knight has overlooked skills and heart that even the test couldn’t reveal. You have two orders: give him another version of the test related to combat and confirm if the rumors are true. If he passes, then he is allowed into the academy.”

With a confident smile, Zak saluted, holding his sword with the blade pointed downward, touching the hilt to his chest near his heart.

“Understood, Arthur.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel groggy, sore, and in pain everywhere in my body. I’ve never felt this terrible in my life. Slowly, my eyes start to open. I hear the beeping of a machine next to me. I look around, unsure of where I am; this place looks much cleaner and more technologically advanced than any place at home. The bed I’m lying on is much softer, with pillows that are more comfortable than what I’m used to. I don’t know how long I’ve slept, but my eyes feel like I haven’t slept in days.

Slowly and carefully, I sit upright in bed to get a better look at the room. A white blanket covers me, and next to the bed is a window. The floor is made of white tiles, and the ceiling has lights embedded in it, though I’m not sure how they work. To my right is a brown door, which I assume is the entrance and exit to this room. Beside the door are two chairs with two people sleeping in them. As I get a closer look, I realize who they are: a boy and a girl.

The girl has beautiful long pink hair, and the boy wears a blue mage robe, with bangs covering his face.

My head starts throbbing, my chest feels like it’s being ripped apart, and my legs are so sore and in pain that I can barely move them. Bandages cover most of my chest, with additional bandages on my forehead, outer thigh, and stomach.

The two people start to wake up, stretching from their seats and yawning from exhaustion. The boy in the blue robe is the first to notice I’m awake, his eyes focusing on me. The girl wakes up slowly after him.

“Holly crap, he’s alive!”

The dark-skinned girl jumps in shock, waking up quicker and making her shout as well.

“What, really?!”

Their surprise causes me to grip my head in pain, giving me a massive headache.

“Gah, my head!”

Just then, an older woman who looks to be in her late forties rushes to the door, shouting at everyone in the room.

“Keep your voices down; there are patients here sleeping!”

My head throbs in pain, as if it's going to explode from all the shouting. The nurse walks up to me and pulls a chair next to my bed.

“How are you feeling?”

The older woman spreads her hands apart and starts casting a spell on my right leg. The spell takes the shape of a small green circle that covers part of the bandages, focusing on my leg.

“Apart from the pain, I’m doing okay—at least I’m alive.”

Magic is incredible. I can see the focus it takes just to cast one spell. Most of the pain begins to slowly disappear. This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Not many people at home know how to use magic, and the ones who do don’t usually have a lot of mana.

“That’s good to hear. I’ve healed most of the pain and damage from your leg. If we continue your treatment, you should be fully healed in about a week.”

I sigh in relief, thankful that I can make a full recovery.

“If your friends hadn’t shown up when they did, you would have died. You’re very lucky to have such good friends. Now that you’re awake, I believe you three want to catch up. I will leave for now, but I’ll be back later to check on how you’re doing. Pull the red line if there’s an emergency.”

I smile gratefully at the nurse.

“Thank you, miss.”

The nurse walks out of the room, leaving the three of us to talk.

An awkward silence fills the room, but the girl is the first to speak up.

“My name is Laura Creston. A few days ago, when monsters attacked the kingdom, my little brother was trapped in one of the residential buildings. If it weren’t for your heroic actions, my little brother would have died. Thank you so much; you have my deepest gratitude.”

She bows down, showing me her gratitude. Her words feel sincere and thankful, as if there’s nothing she could do to repay me.

“My name is Addam Horn. During the incident, I helped Laura get to you on time. When she was fighting monsters, I got lucky and was able to find her and cast magic to heal you enough to keep you from dying. When I arrived at the hospital, I told her about it, and we’ve been helping the nurses around the area and nursing you back to health.”

I stare at both of them, unsure of what to say. I’ve never received this amount of help or appreciation from strangers before. I’m happy that my efforts helped someone in need.

“Laura, Addam, if anything, I should be thanking you. I was basically on the verge of death, and you all decided to help a stranger—and a peasant, no less.”

Addam smiles gratefully, almost as if he feels he has a debt to repay.

“Again, we should be thanking you. Both our homes are in the residential district. If it weren’t for your selfless actions, our families and friends might not be alive today.”

I remember the little boy I saved.

“Laura, is your little brother okay? How is he?”

“He’s doing okay. He got lucky that his injuries healed quickly. He wanted to meet with you and thank you, but it has been so chaotic everywhere that we haven’t had the time to bring him here.”

“I’m glad he’s okay.”

All three of us fall silent for a few seconds, and it’s getting awkward since we didn’t know each other at first.

Laura decides to speak up, looking like she has something on her mind.

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“I watched your fight during the knight's exam and during the monster attack. For a moment, I saw power that I’ve never seen before. If you had used that, you could have beaten your opponent.”

I stare at her, confused. What power is she talking about?

“Sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Both Addam and Laura look at each other, puzzled.

Then Addam speaks up.

“During the incident, after I defeated a monster, I started looking for Laura to see if I could help her. When I got to the residential district, I saw a glowing white light coming from a destroyed building. When I arrived, Laura was healing you. It wasn’t until I got the full story from her that I found out that power came from you.”

What power are they talking about? I remember helping a kid and jumping from a building, but aside from that, I don’t have any special power.

“Sorry, but I really don’t-”

Before I can finish my sentence, a man and a woman who look like knights walk into the room.

The man has long brown hair that goes to his shoulders, with a sword hanging by his waist. The woman next to him closely resembles Laura; she has the same pink hair and skin tone. She wears red light armor with metal shoulder plates and a sword hanging at her side. She has on white pants that look comfortable and very sturdy. The elegance of her clothing indicates that she is a high-ranking knight, while the man looks more laid back and casual. The woman seems to be about 40 years old, while the man appears to be in his late 20s.

“Mother, what are you doing here?”

The woman calmly speaks to the young girl, giving her a hug.

“Hi Laura, are you and Will okay at home?”

“We’re managing, but why are you and this knight here?”

“I came to meet a young boy named Tanner.”

Addam and Laura look at me, confused and a little worried.

The male knight eases our worries as he directs his attention to me.

“Hello everyone. My name is Zak Griffin, and this is Shera Creston. First, I want to say that all three of you have shown tremendous bravery and skill. You’ve all saved lives and demonstrated what it means to be a knight.”

I look down at my hands, tightening them into fists as I remember that I failed the exam. I may have failed, but at least I am able to help someone.

“Thank y—”

“However, I realize that you, Tanner, did not pass the exam, and I have strict orders from the king himself.”

I look up at the strong knight, fearing what he might say next. Laura and Addam are both knights, but I’m just a regular citizen who acted recklessly. I know I’m not strong, but I couldn’t just let the kid die.

“Our orders from the King… are to give you another chance at the academy.”

I am speechless; I can’t believe the words I’m hearing. Did I even hear them correctly?

“Sorry, say that again?”

“The King, Ms. Creston, and I have decided to give you one more chance at the academy. However, to be fair to others, we will not tell you what your challenge is. The choice is up to you: do you accept, or do you want to wait until next year?”

I fall silent for a few seconds, still in shock and almost in tears.

It’s not over; I still have one more chance to prove myself. I can’t believe that, despite everything I’ve been through, I’m given one final chance.

I give the two knights a determined look. I can’t throw this chance away. Everything I’ve worked so hard for is about to pay off. This chance doesn’t feel earned, but even so, I don’t want to pass it up.

“This chance doesn’t feel like I’ve earned it, but regardless, I still want to become a knight more than anything. So, I accept the challenge. Name the time and place.”

Everyone in the room smiles, ecstatic that I’ve accepted the challenge. I have a hunch that they hoped I would give them that answer.

It’s a little hard to tell, but I think Addam looks more excited and enthusiastic than anyone else in the room.

Ms. Creston smiles, her cheeks seeming to be a little pink, almost like she is blushing. Is she blushing? What for?

“Alright, Zak, you heard the young man. We should start preparing for the test; we can’t keep him waiting. When did the doctor say you will make a full recovery?”

“The nurse says I should make a full recovery within a week.”

“Alright, Tanner. In a week, Zak, Laura, Addam, and I will all meet you back at the hospital to get ready for the test.”

“Thank you so much.”

The nurse who healed my leg arrives to check up on me. Everyone leaves the room to help around the hospital and the kingdom.

One week. One more chance to become a knight. If the test is anything like the knight's exam, I need to mentally prepare myself for anything.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, the long and painful week of waiting and healing is over. I may be nervous, but I am ready to take on this challenge in any way I can. I stand in front of the hospital, waiting for everyone. The sun shines brightly, with a light breeze complementing the hot sun. The hospital has stainless steel doors with glass windows, and on either side are two concrete pillars supporting the entrance. The name “Sword Hospital” is imprinted in giant red letters, visible to the bustling city with people coming and going. The kingdom still looks a bit damaged, but it is quickly recovering, with places starting to look better and safer than before I arrived.

While I was injured, I am lucky that Addam and Laura came to the hospital to check up on me and help theorize and prepare for the test.

“If Laura’s theory is correct, it means I will be doing some kind of combat test. Addam mentioned that the monsters acted differently too, so putting the two together, I might be fighting a monster for the test and providing information on why they were acting so weird.”

“Hey Tanner, looks like you’re feeling a lot better.”

Addam snaps me out of my thoughts. I am so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice him walking toward me. Getting a better look at his expression, he seems excited but also more nervous than I am.

“Hey Addam, you’re looking happier than usual. What’s got you excited?”

“Seeing you fight is really inspiring. Even though you lost, the way you fought and didn’t give up despite the slim chances of winning helps me learn about my own fighting style and how I can improve. I want you to pass so we can train together.”

His words make my day. I didn’t think my actions could inspire someone, and I certainly didn’t expect two high-ranking nobles to speak so highly of me.

“Thanks, Addam. I’m not sure if I can pass, but I’ll do my best.”

From the corner of my eye, I see Zak, Shera, Laura, and a little boy who looks to be the same age as Noah.

The pink-haired girl impatiently speeds up her pace and runs in my direction, finally reaching us.

“Hi Tanner, Hi Addam. You both look well, and I’m glad to see you fully recovered. I assume you’re ready for the test, Tanner?”

“I won’t lie; I am very nervous, but I will do my best.”

Laura smiles lightly, giving me a strange sense of calmness and warmth.

“I’m sure you will do great. We did our best to help you prepare. Now it’s time to use the knowledge we gave you. We’ll be out there cheering for you.”

I know her words are meant to encourage me, but I can’t help but feel more nervous now that others will be watching and seeing the disappointed looks on their faces if I end up failing.

A shy little voice speaks, drawing my attention away from my nervous thoughts.

“Um… Hello.”

I look down to see a little boy with spiky pink hair and blue eyes shyly looking up at me. He’s wearing a dark red shirt with dark blue pants, hiding behind Ms. Creston with his head peeking out from the side of her leg.

“My name is Will. I want to thank you for saving me. You were really cool.”

I stare at him for a moment. No wonder he looks familiar; he’s the little boy I saved during the attack.

“It’s no problem, Will. I’m just glad you’re okay. You have a strong mother and sister—keep them close to you.”

“I will, and when I get older, I will be a strong knight just like you.”

I’ve never felt happier hearing those words from someone. He reminds me a lot of Noah from back home.

“If you train hard and don’t give up, I know you will grow up to be a great knight.”

“Thank you, Mr. Knight. I will work hard.”

“Please, call me Tanner.”

“Okay, thank you, Tanner.”

Zak speaks up after the small talk with the little boy.

“Are you ready for the test, Tanner?”

“We’ll see. I won’t lie—I am a little nervous.”

The adult female knight turns her gaze toward me, her face showing no emotion. I can’t tell what she is thinking.

“Prepare yourself. This challenge is something even we cannot prepare you for.”

I start sweating nervously from her words, and we all make our way to the location of the test.

Our destination is the fighting ring that was used during the exam. Parts of the field look damaged, but aside from a few small holes in the ground, it appears to be well intact.

Everyone stands still, placing their right hand with their sheathed weapon on their chest. I do not know who this high-ranking noble in front of me is.

I don’t know what to do, so I stand there awkwardly.

Who is this guy?

“Please, everyone. I may be the king, but you are all Knights and Knights of the Round. We all deserve equal respect for our titles.”

Everyone immediately stops saluting, bringing their weapons down, and returns to their casual standing positions.

I am in complete shock. The King of Knights, the strongest knight in the kingdom—no, the entire world—is standing right in front of me!

He looks so cool! The red robe he wears looks fit for a king, and the blue and gold sword looks so shiny and intimidating. He is the coolest knight I have ever seen!

The king turns his gaze toward me.

“You, young man, are you Tanner?”

So many emotions start to overwhelm me. I don’t know what to say or do. How do I speak to someone normally when he is exactly the knight I want to be?

I stumble through my words, making any attempt to sound normal.

“Yes, I’m Tanner.”

The king smiles and takes off his red cape.

“No need to be so tense. I am just a knight like everyone else.”

“Sorry. It’s really tough to speak when someone with the position I look up to is standing in front of me.”

The king laughs slightly and smiles at me. His smile is different from everyone else’s, except my father’s; it’s a smile that shows support.

“It’s great that you want to become a knight. I believe that regardless of status, anyone can achieve great things if they work hard towards it. Work hard, and eventually, you will become a great knight.”

I shyly scratch the back of my head, my cheeks turning slightly pink.

“Thank you. It means a lot.”

“Now, I have some words I’d like to say to you as a knight and your king. Tanner, Zak has told me about your efforts in saving Ms. Shera’s son. Your bravery and efforts do not deserve to go unnoticed. You have my deepest gratitude for risking your life to help a citizen I could not protect. That is why, if you pass this test, I, the king, will personally let you join the academy and be the first peasant to become a knight and stand side by side with royalty.”

My nervousness shows. I don’t know what to say. It feels like such an honor—something I didn’t even think could happen to someone like me.

“Thank you for giving me this chance, my king.”

“Please, call me Arthur.”

Both Zak and Shera look confused, wanting to speak but deciding it is best to let the king speak, as he is not done talking with me yet.

“The knight's exam is designed to handpick both the smartest and strongest knights in the kingdom. Tell me, Tanner, why do you want to become a knight?”

I try to speak, but the memories of my past discourage me. They feel nauseating and painful. Despite the aching feeling, the scars of my memory keep resurfacing.

A weak peasant like you has no right to become a knight.

Your blade work and footwork aren’t very good. You’re going to need to move really fast and have better blade work to beat people with bigger reach.

Is this something I should bring up to your dad about your academic scores?

No matter what I do mentally, I am unable to say it, even though I know my reason. I never really got support other than from my father and brother.

“I don’t know if I can say it yet.”

Arthur looks disappointed but still smiles through it.

“Very well. If you don’t feel confident saying your answer now, I suppose I will hear it another time.”

Arthur takes his sword from his waist and hands it to Zak. Slowly, he walks over to the box of wooden weapons and grabs a sword.

“Tanner, your test is a match against me. I will decide if you are worthy of becoming a knight at this academy.”

Addam and Laura scream in shock. Laura speaks up, clearly viewing this as something completely unfair.

“King Arthur, a match against you is impossible for him. Not even Zak and my mother combined could defeat you.”

Addam backs up Laura’s statement, expressing his concern.

“You’re the strongest knight, not just in this kingdom but in the world. No one is able to defeat you.”

Arthur crosses his arms standing stoically showing the decision is final.

“Is that what all of you thought when those monsters attacked the citizens of this kingdom? Did you look and say it’s impossible and then run away? No, you both stood your ground and fought against them, protecting the innocent despite the chaos and destruction. No matter how fearful someone is, a knight’s job is to face the impossible. Tanner, do you accept these conditions, or are you going to walk away?”

I am completely dumbfounded; I don’t know what to say or do. I thought I would be fighting a monster, but this is completely different. I don’t even have a strategy.

Do I even have a chance of winning? What am I supposed to do? How can I win against him? But if I walk away, what was the point of me trying? I made a promise to myself 10 years ago; walking away would be like breaking that promise. I may have doubts about myself and lack confidence, but if I don’t try, then I don’t deserve to stand next to Laura and Addam.

“I accept your conditions.”

Arthur smiles, proud of my response and decision, still standing showing his stoic expression.

“Excellent. This match will be different from the matches during the exam. This entire training area will be our arena. Grab your weapon of choice, and let’s get started.”

“Okay.”

I walk towards the basket with weapons, see a long sword, and grab it. My hands feel wet, sweat pours down my face, and my hands start shaking. It’s getting hard to breathe; I almost pass out from the harsh, uncontrollable, raspy breaths.

“Tanner!”

I turn around and see that it’s Arthur who spoke.

“Remember, this is a test!”

I’m not entirely sure what he means by those words, but they manage to slightly calm me down, giving me a moment to take a deep breath. Glancing around the arena, I see everyone watching while I walk towards the ring. Everyone but Zak is sitting far away from the ring. Zak gestures, indicating he will be the referee for the match.

“The match will be over when one side concedes defeat or is in a position near death. Are both fighters ready?”

The king and I respond simultaneously.

“Yes!”

“... Begin!”

I instantly take a step back. The intimidation I feel from him is stronger than anything I have ever experienced.

The king speaks up and starts running toward me.

“If you’re not going to strike, then I will!”

Before I even blink, he is already right in front of me. He swings his sword, hitting me on the side of my arm and throwing me across the arena.

“If this is all it takes to beat you, then you have no chance of winning this fight!”

I can’t hesitate against him. Even if he is clearly stronger than me, if I don’t attack, I have no chance of winning.

I get up, run at him, and swing my sword, aiming anywhere I see an opening.

Arthur doesn’t even have to block. His distance and footwork is perfect. His sword is down, and he easily dodges all my attacks.

Arthur smirks at me, and I can tell he’s trying to provoke me.

“Come on, where is that strength you had when you fought those monsters? I’m a little disappointed, Tanner.”

The king jumps high into the air, the physical length of the jump surpassing anything I’ve ever seen.

“Thunder Wings!”

The king starts flying through the air with sparks that look like wings on his back. I am in awe, everything from his fighting abilities to his magic is completely superhuman.

His movements become faster than before, which I didn’t think was even possible.

With lightning-quick movements, he flies through the air toward me, attacking my right shoulder, then my back, and then hitting me in my stomach. I gasp in pain, and the momentum is enough to send me flying across the arena.

Grunting through the pain, I slowly get up. The pain from the flurry of attacks makes it very difficult to focus.

He’s moving way too fast. There has to be something—anything—I can do. What opening does he have? If I don’t think of something quickly, then this match will end, and I won’t be able to become a knight.

... Wait, that’s it! This entire fight, he has been so confident in his strength. If that’s the case, then I need to try this. I only have one chance; I need to time this perfectly.

Arthur then flies straight toward me. I blink, and of course, he is right in front of me. He goes for an open swing, aiming for my left side, leaving his right side open for an attack.

Standing my ground, I swing, aiming at his right shoulder. I’m not sure if I imagined it, but his expression seems to change.

I follow through with my attack, but to my surprise, I don’t hit anything. He’s gone. I feel a sword slash across my back with tremendous power, and I’m thrown back. The king then flies right at me, trying to end the fight.

With a stroke of luck, I block the attack. With my back against the wall, the only thing I can focus on is Arthur’s weapon.

This can’t be it. There has to be something I can do to get out of this.

Self-doubt floods my body and mind. No matter what I do, it feels hopeless to me, and it’s visible in my eyes.

Arthur has a serious expression on his face, as he slowly starts pushing more and more of his strength toward my weak spot in the bind of our blades.

“What are you going to do now?! It is clear I am better than you! You will be facing knights who are way stronger than you. If you give up now, you could go home without any more harm to you!”

He’s right. I have no chance of beating him. My only option was to aim at an open spot, but even he planned for it. I can’t win here; it’s... impossible.

“You may be right; it may be impossible to beat you, and I may not be confident in myself... but giving up here would be a disgrace to the people who gave me this opportunity, to the people who spent so much time helping and supporting me!”

I start to shed tears, knowing that I’m going to lose.

“Even if it is impossible to beat you, I won’t give up—not until I become a knight!”

Arthur closes his eyes, smiling.

“I see.”

The powerful knight pushes even more strength toward my blade, forcing it down and knocking it out of my hand, aiming his sword threateningly at my neck.

Zak then raises his hand, declaring the winner.

“The winner is King Arthur!”

I fall to the ground, continuing to shed tears, knowing I’ve failed the last chance I had left.

I want to scream in frustration. I wish I were stronger; I couldn't even hold my own against him. Throughout the entire match I was just a punching bag.

Everyone in the vomitorium quickly rushes toward Arthur and me.

Once everyone arrives, Addam and Laura help me up.

Laura speaks, concerned about how I am doing.

“Are you okay?”

I look down at my feet.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

Addam then starts healing me from all the bruises I got from this match, he stares at me confused but I didn’t really care at the moment .

Arthur then speaks, waiting for everyone in the group to calm down and give us some space.

“Tanner, it’s time for your results. Please get on one knee.”

With my head down, I follow his instructions and kneel.

The king then unsheathes his sword and looks down at me.

“Young man, there is no doubt that you have shown great bravery in the fight against me and in saving the family. Even though you lost the battle, not once did you give up, showing your heart and dedication to being a knight. However, nothing can change the past. You still scored the lowest, and you still lost the fight against me.”

I can't take it anymore. I failed, even after everyone helped me. The result speaks for itself—why is he dragging it out for so long? I failed. Nothing can change that now.

“In your battle against me, there was one brief moment when I needed to get serious despite leaving openings to give you a chance. Even then, you did not give up. With that being said—”

I feel a sword touch my left shoulder and then my right.

“I, as the king, declare you are now a knight at the academy!”

I look up in shock, not sure if I heard him right.

“What? I... passed!?”

“Yes, congratulations. You are now a knight.”

Addam jumps and gives me a one-armed hug from my shoulders while Will tackles me from the front.

“That’s awesome, Tanner! You did it; you’re finally a knight!”

“You did it! You’re like a superhero now!”

Laura is a lot calmer but smiles happily and proudly.

“Congratulations, Tanner. You did it.”

I am smiling from ear to ear. I can’t believe that, against all odds, I am finally a knight. I have dreamed of this moment and finally it’s happening.

“Thank you all. I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

Zak, still proudly smiling from the results, speaks up.

“No, you pass this test on your own merit.”

Shera nods in agreement and follows up with Zak's statement.

“The test was never about winning the match; it was about showing your bravery, resolve, and dedication. You were tested the moment you fully recovered from the hospital.”

King Arthur gives a serious expression, wanting to speak one more time before he leaves. He holds out an envelope with a letter inside.

“This here is a letter of acceptance to the knight's academy. You earned this.”

I reach out my hand, but the letter is quickly pulled away.

“Tanner, before I give you this, I feel I must say this, one knight to another. During our fight, every swing you made felt like you doubted yourself. Self-doubt is a person’s biggest weakness. A knight who lets self-doubt and anxiety control them will always lose before the challenge even starts. Promise me you will work hard and become a knight who overcomes their self-doubt.”

I look at him, understanding what he means.

“I won’t lie; it will be hard, but... I will beat my self-doubt and become a knight worthy of standing with the best.”

Arthur smiles, clearly pleased with my answer, and hands me the envelope.

“Excellent. I expect great things from you. Show us nobles the power of a strong heart.”

“I will.”

I receive a bunch of congratulatory responses from everyone. Finally, once we all calm down, Ms. Shera decides to give me one final gift.

“Tanner, let’s show you around the capital, and while we’re doing that, let’s get you clothing fitting for a knight as thanks for saving my son.”

“Oh no, I can’t accept that. I saw the prices of things here. I can’t let you buy things for me.”

Laura insists, arguing with me.

“Tanner, let us buy equipment for you. Don’t forget, you, Addam, and I are a team now, so we should help each other.”

Addam also smiles at me. He’s not going to let this go.

“Alright, you win.”

We leave the arena and walk around the capital.

We arrive at a shop that looks like a place where knights go to buy equipment and clothing. The shop, while small, is still big enough to hold a crowd of people. It has pale textile flooring and concrete walls. The ceiling is bright with lights attached to it, similar to the hospital room. The shelves are wooden, with boxes of weapons lying in them, and mannequins display armor that fits their size perfectly.

Everyone looks around the shop while Zak and I approach the shop owner to look at weapons and armor.

“Hello, we were wondering if we can get a long sword for this young knight here.”

The shop owner smiles, expressing his excitement and happiness.

“Sure, this shop has plenty of long swords, or if you want a custom-made one, it will cost more but will be of higher strength and quality.”

I look around, trying out every long sword in their stock, but sadly, none of them feel right.

Shera notices my expression and speaks to the shop owner.

“How much is a custom long sword and how long will it take to finish?”

“A strong custom long sword is about 300 gold and will take about 6 to 8 hours.”

“Okay, Tanner, what do you want it to look like?”

I interrupt Ms. Shera, I can’t have her pay for something so expensive.

“Ms. Shera, this is way too expensive. I can’t let you pay for this!”

Ms. Shera walks over to me and puts her hand on my shoulder.

“You are the one who risked saving my child’s life when no one else could. As a mother, I want to repay you for your selflessness in protecting him. Please let me do this to thank you.”

I sigh in defeat, feeling that saying no now would be rude.

“Okay, thank you.”

“Can you make it look like the sword from the story of the Sun?”

The shop owner laughs happily.

“Alright, kid, you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll make this my best work.”

“Thank you.”

We all leave the shop and decide to come back when the sword is done. Using this opportunity, everyone helps me get familiar with the city.

I discover that the city is one giant circle with named districts. The center of the capital is the academy where all the knights live. To the right of that district is the residential area, where all the rich nobles live. Continuing right is Station Street, the main area for trains and the airport. The train is used to travel from faraway places, though it can’t reach every village. The Entertainment District is next, full of places for movies, plays, shops—anything you can imagine. The final place is the Financial District, where many banks and businesses are located, useful for depositing money or finding a part-time job.

After hours of walking and making our way through the kingdom, it is finally time to see the sword. It’s entirely made of shiny gold with a green gem between the blade and the hilt, which bears the symbol of the sun. I put on the clothes I chose and show everyone how I look.

I wear a green headband on my forehead to match the green shirt underneath, paired with a white and red jacket that is unzipped and goes down to my waist. I have on long light brown combat pants and darker combat boots.

“Okay, everyone, how do I look?”

Addam and Laura smile proudly in my direction.

“Like a knight.”